Khamenei tells Arab leaders to count on Iran against Israeli threats

Published January 8th, 2007 - 16:02 GMT

Iran's Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei said on Monday that the Arab states in the Persian Gulf would rely on Ira

Iran's Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei said on Monday that the Arab states in the Persian Gulf would rely on Iran in a bid to thwart the threat posed to them by Israel.

In a meeting with some 5,000 people who had come from holy Qom to felicitate the Supreme Leader on the auspicious occasion of Eid al-Ghadir, the Khamenei said that the Arab leaders would place confidence on Iran rather than giving concession to the US or the UK. "Both US and the UK backed Iraqi dictator to invade Iran and provided him with numerous assistance, but, they could not do a damn thing thanks to fierce resistance from Iranian nation during eight years imposed war," the Iranian leader said, according to IRNA.

Khamenei added that Iran would not refrain from its right to use nuclear technology. "The Iranian nation undoubtedly will not refrain from their right and the nation's officials do not have the right to refrain from the nation's right," he stressed.